It seems Duncan Laurence isn’t as “mentally exhausted” as he claims after all. For the same reason, Mart Hoogkamer does last minute canceled his participation in Best Singers.
Canceling an expensive viewing hit like Best Singers at the very last minute? That is difficult, especially because the preliminary phase is very intensive; artists sing each other’s songs and that takes a long time to prepare. So it is not a decision that you take lightly, but what if you are mentally exhausted?
Martin cancels
Duncan Laurence posted last Friday, a day before the intensive recordings of Best Singers started in Spain, that he is completely through it. But why did he fly to Seville anyway? Does the AvroTros hold him to some kind of stranglehold contract? Or is the singer joking about his mental well-being?
There will be no question of a strangling contract, because it now appears that Mart Hoogkamer did cancel last Tuesday – four days before the TV recordings – due to fatigue. So that is possible. “We thought it was terrible to cancel and it is also terrible for Mart,” says his manager Mirjam de Raaff to RTL Boulevard.
Difficult decision
Mirjam states that this hurts a lot. “It is one of the hardest decisions we have made this year. It’s never easy to say something like that. It takes a lot of work and preparation. Everyone has rehearsed for whom and what he is going to sing and that is why making such a phone call is terrible. I know how much it costs for AvroTros.”
She continues: “I had my back against the wall, because I had a doctor’s certificate in my hand stating that Mart had to stop immediately for five weeks and maybe longer. I had no choice but to cancel the Best Singers. Fortunately, they have found a solution.”
Why Duncan?
But why Duncan Laurence then? Apparently, his mental exhaustion is not too bad. “As far as Duncan is concerned, it was indicated to us in consultation that he still wanted to do the recordings of the program,” AvroTros said.
RTL Boulevard reporter Aran Bade: “Then I actually think it’s outrageous of Duncan that he did this. That he that post did.”
Nick as a solution
Artists can simply drop out if their health is at stake, according to AvroTros. “We invite the singers well in advance to participate in the Best Singers programme. Participation naturally takes place in close consultation and careful preparation with the singers themselves and their management.”
The broadcaster continues: “Mart Hoogkamer indeed indicated just before the start of the recordings that he could not go to the recordings of the program due to his health. The production of the program immediately found a solution for this.”
The solution? Nick Schilder was willing to participate just a few days before the TV trip.